Climate change in the past, today and future Essay

Climate change in the past, today and future - Essay Example Previously, little awareness and concern was attributed to the changing patterns in climate and the risk on human health populations associated with it. However, today with the continued urbanization and distancing of human life from the natural systems, reality has dawned that the world’s climate system is indeed an integral part of the complex of life-supporting processes, and, therefore, requires urgent measures in its maintenance and sustainability. With the world increasing economic development and growth, many of the natural systems coming under pressure from the increased populations (Githeko and Woodward, 2003). Asia has a significant increase in human population and currently the most populated continent in the world, an aspect that has resulted in a reduction of resource availability, forcing individuals to engage in activities that despite being beneficial to human remain short lived and significantly contribute towards increasing climatic change. The increased population contributes towards difficult environmental and socio-economic challenges, caused by the activities indicated above, which increase the production of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases prove, as the greatest challenge for the world today, and most especially in Asia. Concerns remain the reduction strategies of the greenhouse emissions to levels that would not interfere with the climate system (Ebi, Mearns, and Nyenzi, 1999). Asia as a continent is currently undergoing significant industrialization and, therefore, a producer of significant amounts of gases, including the greenhouse gases, released into the atmosphere without prior treatment. On average, the atmosphere shields the earth surface of up to 50% of sunlight rays. Additionally, greenhouse gases, which take up 2% of the atmosphere, also play a significant role in the absorption of the sunlight rays up to 17% (Ebi, Mearns, and Nyenzi, 1999). For the light reaching the earth’s surface, absorption takes place followed by